Airlines want volcano flight ban lifted

Europe's airlines have called for governments to urgently review flight bans caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Up in the air: Passengers have been left stranded due to safety reasons and still await details of when they can fly

Britain's airports remained resolutely shut over the weekend and today, with travellers trapped overseas and passengers unable to leave the country.

It has now been announced that flight restrictions will be lifted temporarily tomorrow morning from Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England above Teeside and Blackpool at 7am Tuesday, this should be followed by the Midlands around midday and airports in the South at around 6pm.

If problems do not occur it is likely this could then extend to the rest of the UK.

Anyone due to fly this week should check their airline's website and while airlines hope to start flying from Tuesday, there is no guarantee this will happen.

However, a number of airlines have launched test flights hoping to prove to national aviation authorities that planes are safe to fly despite the volcanic ash lingering.

British Airways boss Willie Walsh took to the skies in a jumbo jet in a bid to try and demonstrate the lack of danger. Airlines have suggested officials have over-reacted to a computer simulation of the cloud.

However, were the ban to be lifted and a crash to occur, the consequences would be far reaching.

›› Click on the image to see how airports are operating across Europe

Airlines are estimated to be losing about £130m a day due to the flying ban imposed across Northern Europe.

Meanwhile, the British government is reported to be in talks with Spain about setting up an emergency repatriation with passengers flying into Spanish airports before being ferried to the UK.

The BBC has reported that EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas said he hoped 50% of Europe's airspace would be risk-free on Monday, describing the situation as 'not sustainable'. He said European authorities were trying to find a solution that did not compromise safety.

A number of airlines have run successful test flights over the weekend and while final results have not been released, the suggestion is that no damage has been caused to planes.

The Association of European Airlines and the body which represents major airports, ACI Europe issued a joint statement calling for restrictions to be reconsidered.

It said: 'The eruption of the Icelandic volcano is not an unprecedented event and the procedures applied in other parts of the world for volcanic eruptions do not appear to require the kind of restrictions that are presently being imposed in Europe.'